Opel Returns to Russia

Grandland X, Zafira Life and Vivaro to be available in Russia in fourth quarter

Zafira Life and Vivaro Transporter to be built in the Kaluga plant

Further models will follow soon

Growth based on new export markets is at the core of the PACE! company plan

Rüsselsheim. Opel is pressing forward with its export offensive: The brand with the ‘Blitz’ will revive its tradition on the Russian market this year still. Opel will initially make three models available at selected Russian dealers – the Grandland X from Eisenach as well as the new Zafira Life and the Vivaro from Russian production. The people carrier and the transporter units for the local market will roll off the production line in the Groupe PSA plant in Kaluga.

Opel wants to gradually increase its commitment in Russia in the coming years and this includes offering a wider range of products soon. More detailed information on this will be made available at a later date.

“A significant increase of our profitable exports is one of the key pillars of our PACE! company plan! We are making considerable progress in this area,” said Opel CEO Michael Lohscheller. “Russia is a large, strategically important and attractive market with a lot of potential. As a German brand with a long-standing tradition and an excellent reputation in the country, we will benefit from this. Being able to produce locally immediately is a prime example of how important being part of Groupe PSA is for Opel.”

Yannick Bézard, Executive Vice President and Operational Director Eurasia, Groupe PSA, said: “The launch of a new brand on the Russian market will allow the Groupe PSA to strengthen its presence in the Eurasia region, expand the offer for existing customers and win new ones. Along with the Opel brand launch in Ukraine last year we project to triple Groupe PSA brands volumes in the region by 2021, based on a profitable business and this project will strongly contribute to this target.”

In addition to experienced former Opel dealers, new dealerships will display Opel models in their showrooms. Initially, 15 to 20 dealers in the largest cities of the country will be Opel partners. This number will more than double in the mid-term. It is planned to grow step by step in Russia. Just like in every market Opel’s top priority in Russia is to grow profitably with a high level of customer satisfaction.

An extensive export offensive is one pillar of the Opel/Vauxhall strategic plan PACE!, which will help the company become sustainably profitable. The decision to re-enter the Russian market – a strategic market for a global car maker – is part of this plan aiming at the development of the brand in both Europe and global markets. The goal is to generate 10 percent of the Opel sales volume outside of Europe by the mid-2020s. To achieve this, the brand will further strengthen its presence in the export markets in Asia, Africa and South America where it is already present today and will enter more than 20 new export markets by 2022.

The Rüsselsheim-based carmaker already named new, high-performance importers in Morocco, Tunisia, Lebanon and South Africa in recent months, paving the way for growth on these important markets for the future. Furthermore, Opel joined the local Groupe PSA organisation in Ukraine.